Didn't know that there are is an extra setup possible for Android Auto. This should explain some bad Meridian-experiences from other Bloggers. Thanks a Lot!
After watching and reading media reviews, I too prepared myself to have a bad audio system but after I got the car and started using it, it’s very good. No complaints at all. It doesn’t have big subwoofer as we see in SUVs but it’s plenty for its size
@@evodessey I saw your video about issues with amps on earlier models. I got mine last week of Feb and it’s Dec 23 make so I guess amp and woofer might be all good. I have JBL on one car and Mark Levinson on the other one. JBL has more thump but EV6’s Meridian is also excellent in its own way.
Thanks for this. I too was initially very underwhelmed but after experimenting a little with tracks that I know extremely well I was able to get it sounding an awful lot better. I ended up with: Imaging 2 Immersion 2 Treble +0 Midrange +2 Bass +4 Still wish I knew what "imaging" and "immersion" actually mean in technical terms though!
Thanks so much for the connected device audio tip!! Have always wondered why it's so low on CarPlay. I am still amazed that they put the subwoofer in such a stupid place though. There's nowhere for the air from the sub to escape properly, which defeats the whole purpose. Not sure if I mentioned this before, but I was also told by a local audio specialist that there is little to no insulation in any of the doors, and they said that if I did that it would make a MASSIVE difference. They also measured up for a better sub, and cutting a hole in the removable floor with a metal grille. Total cost for all of that... £1.5k!!! 😬
Great tips and as you rightly say, that first impressions were underwhelming, Meridian are a top class sound provider and with the tweeks you suggest and especially the volume source for CP and AA. Then this should actually make it a great system and no need to upgrade the subwoofer which some have suggested. Thank you again, your vids save a lot of trolling through specs etc. 👍👍
Just got a 2023 EV6 GT-Line, underwhelmed with the Meridian system. Basic sound quality is fine. But the system has a number of serious deficiencies. Biggest one is that the default volume balance is defective. If you adjust the overall volume to a comfortable listening level, then adjust the "Position" setting to fade the audio all the way to the rear of the car, the volume decreases dramatically. Worse, even when in the centered position, the rear door speaker volume is a small fraction that of the forward speakers. Under normal, default settings, the forward speakers are pretty much the only ones doing any real work as far as filling the cabin space with audio. I have found that by fading the position back to the -7 to -8 setting (out of +1o to -10), where the volume has dropped off dramatically but at least is perceived as well-balanced front-to-rear, then you can turn the volume back up and things are "okay". But the overall balance still changes as the volume setting it adjusted, and driving the audio system at the higher volume levels produces some artifacts in the audio. :( It also helps a little to enable the "Surround" processing, which seems to increase the levels going to the surround speakers in the rear pillars, but this setting adds a heavy reverb effect to voice frequencies, which is uncomfortable to listen to for talk radio or vocal-prominent music. Another major problem with the audio system is that the radio has a **terrible** receiver/tuner. It fails to lock on to the signal at much higher signal quality than any of my other cars. I get the "staticky, cutting in and out" quality to the audio unless I'm in a spot where the radio signal is _really_ good. It seems that the "Radio Noise" setting is there mainly to filter out the static you get most of the time, but unfortunately it filters other qualities of the audio too. Besides all that, there are basic things like the system having only a three-band equalizer, and not having any separate EQ for the subwoofer. But I could live with those, if it weren't for the fact that the overall basic sound design is just **crap** .
Hey Brian. I'm really curious if you'd consider making another video covering whether anything about your configuration has changed after the amplifier recall or the infotainment updates that changed the volume scale or were alleged to have improved the subwoofer performance - or overall if you've changed or refined how you prefer your Meridian sound now a couple years further down the line. As a specific point of interest, I'm wondering if you still consider the "connected device" settings shown from 7:06 to be accurate? I noticed that when you started adjusting the "Media" volume settings for the Android Auto connection, the starting volume of 32 in the settings menu was the same as what you had last adjusted the overall infotainment volume to at 06:54. You adjusted the connection 'Media' volume to 48 and exited the "Android audio" sound settings. Immediately after this you lowered the overall infotainment volume again to compensate, but it now lowered from that same increased number of 48 down to 33. To my ear (obviously through a less than ideal medium of listening) once all was said and done it seemed to sound very nearly the same after the tweaks at 33 volume as it did before the tweaks at 32 volume. Seeing all of that and considering what you said about the value changing randomly, it appears to me that the connected device audio setting isn't controlling any sort of pre-amp signal strength and therefore isn't providing any sort of benefit to the signal-to-noise ratio. It looks to just be a method to adjust the final output volume for the specific connection type, I suppose to let you change those values while no such connection is active - as if anyone would ever want to do that. If that connection happens to be currently in use then it seems to serve the exact same function as using the hardware volume knob or steering wheel volume rocker. Am I in the ballpark with this assessment or is there something I've missed?
I have had my 2023 GT line in the US for a week now. I would give the overall quality of the sound system a c -. at best or maybe a plain old d. I just talked to some car toys installers and they wanted $8,000 to replace everything and do it right which is just ridiculous. they labeled the system as a one-and-a-half to two on a scale of 10 for true audio files. I will try turning up the gain on the Android auto and see if that helps but I am very skeptical. nice review btw.
Love these videos, giving me my fix of EV6 vicariously as I await mine! I’ve heard that the complaints a lot of people had about the system were fixed with a Service Action update (Dealer installed rather than OTA), have you had that?
Check the new update, under the settings you only have custom, you cannot cycle though the modes, only when you are in the media info and then click on the meridian logo, I just found out myself
I had my Ev6 for almost a year now, and at first i was wery disaponted on the soundsystem. After they updated the system it's sounds less badly, but it's far from the sound that i build in my cabriolet for about 3000$, so if im going to keep the Ev6 i probebly will add a new woffer amplifier and a new subwoffer, because the one that is in it now must be wery weak. Haven't found the specs for the amplifier for the system, but my guess is that it's less then 300 real watts, i have about 500 rms watt in my other car and it plays much higher and with much more controll, and better sound quality.. 🤷♂️
Mine packed up 12 weeks ago.Had it swapped yesterday and it’s now got a proper kick ass bass. Glad it actually broke because the new one is how i would have it expected it to sound. One of my subscribers @nickfisher posted the specs for the amp in comments to one of my videos. I will see if i can find them.
This is from Nick Fisher from a few weeks ago……WRT the Meridian sound system, I have been hearing reports of poor quality sound, I found this difficult to believe as my last 4 vehicles, plus my wife's car have had Meridian systems which have been very high quality. I also was led to believe that folk were having to turn the volume up to the highest ranges (35 -40) to get acceptable sounds. I found this very unusual against my previous experience. Most of the previous systems I have owned were 380 watt and I kept the volume between 8 and 12. I contacted my dealer to find out the output of the Kia system. He hadn't a clue, suggested I call Kia UK. Guess what? They hadn't a clue either. Next port of call was Meridian, they knew. 660 watts!!! Therefore I believe there must be something far wrong with either some folks hearing (too much Iron Maiden) or all the amplifiers are duff. From the same sources, I am informed that the replacements are an improvement. So good news, and something for you to look forward to!!! 😁
I have the GT line in the states and the system is good. Just needs more bass. I also have the bass on +4 but I’m just worried I’m going to blow some of the speakers eventually because I listen to mostly rap.
Thank you for the advice. I will, with confidence turn the bass up to +10. It’s not terrible I like it but the mark levinson in my previous vehicle was better imo.
Active Sound Design is just the internal artificial vehicle sound.Link to the active sound design video i did a while back is at the end this video in one of the related video links.
I have no idea how to set the meridian up. 14 speakers and all quiet. Only 400k is audible. Anything below or above was practically non-existence. I have no clue what I did incorrectly. I am a big fan of Paganini and Sarasate. So I deliberately getting the high resolution WAV files for the 14-speakers Meridian Sound System. What a disappointment it was. Does anyone have any idea how I can properly set up my EV6 sound system please? NB: I don't use equalisers.
How do you like the system. I have seen so many negative reviews but you are an actual owner and have some time to tweak the system. Thanks for the good overview of have to use the system.
